After helping Alice take her luggage inside, Bella had actually left with Edward to his apartment. Though Bella had been worried about leaving Alice alone, Alice insisted that she was going to spend time catching up on emails and that Bella should go. Of course, she also had a feeling that Alice was saddened being around her and Edward since things with Jasper had gone down the toilet.
As they lay naked in bed after a couple of rounds of lovemaking, Edward rested his head on her stomach as Bella lay there, idly running her fingers through his hair. She smiled to herself as she pondered on the idea that they didn't have to talk, they were happy enough just being around each other. Just as she started to doze off, she felt Edward turn his head so his cheek was no longer resting on her stomach and felt him place a soft kiss on her tummy before he whispered, "I missed you so much."
Bella smiled at his words and whispered sleepily back, "I missed you too." When he didn't say anything else and she felt his eyes on her she opened her eyes a bit to look at him only to find him staring at her with an intense expression on his face. "What is it?" she asked quietly.
"This isn't going to be easy is it?" he replied softly.
She frowned and tilted her head, "What's not going to be easy?"
"The traveling, the separation, it's just going to get worse as time goes by. You'll be on the road with Senator Cullen's campaign and I'll be on the road with Senator Volturi," he said with a frown.
Bella felt a bit of panic in her chest at his words as she wondered if he was planning to end it. "No, it won't be easy," she agreed.
Seeing the fear in her eyes, a determination seemed to enter his and he said, "We'll make it work." He moved up above her and kissed her passionately and then he looked at her and fiercely said, "We'll make it work."
Reaching up, Bella rested her hand on his cheek and whispered, "Yes, Edward, we'll make it work."
Leaning down he kissed her again. As they made love for the third time that evening and he held her close as she moaned, whimpered, and whispered in his ear that she loved him, he wished that he was brave enough to say it back. He only hoped that the way he held her, the way he worshipped her with his body, would be enough to show her how he felt, even if the words couldn't escape his lips.
)( )( )( )(
The next morning, Bella sat quietly in one of Edward's t-shirts, sipping at a cup of coffee and reading the paper while Edward made them breakfast. Having gone through most of the paper with the exceptions of the sports section she idly started to flip through the magazine insert when she froze and whispered, "What the fuck?"
Surprised by her uncharacteristic cursing, Edward turned to look at her. "Everything all right?" When she didn't answer and her eyes stayed glued to the magazine in front of her, her face first draining of all color and then slowly turning more and more red, he turned off the burner on the stove and walked closer to her. "Bella?"
She looked up at him and there was a mixture of sadness and pure anger in her expression. Walking forward, Edward looked over her shoulder to see what she had been looking at and he took in a sharp breath when he saw a picture of them embracing in front of Bella's apartment with Senator Cullen and Alice looking on.
Reaching around her, he grabbed the paper and read the small article accompanying the photograph.
It looks like things are getting pretty serious between Senator Carlisle Cullen's Communication Director, Isabella Swan, and Senator Aro Volturi's Chief of Staff, Edward Masen. Mr. Masen, one of the country's most eligible bachelors, seems to have taken himself off the market. Is it possible that he's also switching teams? Ms. Swan was rumored to have been dating Senator Cullen's Chief of Staff, Jasper Whitlock, before dumping him for Mr. Masen. Is it possible that Senator Cullen is also looking to make a replacement?
Bella watched him nervously as he read the article and jumped in her seat when he suddenly exclaimed, "Shit!"
Before she could say anything his phone started ringing and she heard her own phone going off in the other room. She was heading to the living room to get her phone when she heard Edward answer his phone.
"This is Masen….What the fuck, Emmett!...Of course I fucking saw it…"
Bella sighed, tuning out his conversation as she noticed that it was Jasper on the phone. Holding back a groan she answered, "Hello."
She could tell by Jasper's voice that he was reining in his anger, "Have you seen today's paper? The article in the WP's magazine about.."
She interrupted him, "I saw it, Jasper…" Before she could say anything else Edward's voice rose several octaves, reaching her from the kitchen, "I want this Victoria Dodge's head on a fucking platter!"
Bella winced and sighed as Jasper said, "I take it you're with Masen. Obviously this is not the time to talk. Meet me in the office in an hour." Then the line went dead.
She heard Edward speaking on the phone in the kitchen and hesitantly made her way back there.
"We'll meet in the office in about an hour. I have no doubt that the Senator will have heard about this by then. Christ! Goddamn-motherfucker!"
Edward ran his hand though his hair and simply said, "Yeah, see you in an hour," before he hung up the phone.
Bella watched him pace back and forth across the kitchen like a caged animal as he continued to run his hands through his hair. When he stopped with his back to her she finally broke the silence and asked quietly, "How bad is this going to get with Volturi?"
Edward turned to look at her and clenched his jaw a bit, shaking his head. "I don't know," he said.
His phone started ringing again and he groaned as he saw who it was. "Listen, Bella, the phone isn't going to stop ringing and I have to get to the office. Christ, I'm sorry. I just wanted a relaxing Sunday with you."
Bella shook her head and went up to him, tiptoeing up to give him a soft kiss. "It's all right. I understand. I'll leave you to what you have to do."
Before she could walk away he pulled her close, burying his face against her neck and he whispered. "I'm sorry."
Warping her arms around his waist she squeezed him a bit and whispered, "We'll be all right." She only hoped it was true.
)( )( )( )(
When Edward got home late that night he felt as if he had been put through the wringer. He had barely been in the office and hour, planning and strategizing on how to handle the situation with several members of his team when the Senator had arrived. To say that the man had been livid would have been an understatement. When it was all said and done, Edward felt lucky to still have his job, but he knew he was in a precarious situation. Aro was going to keep him on a short leash for a while and he had to be careful.
Moving towards the kitchen he took the bottle of vodka he kept in the freezer and started to make himself a drink when his phone rang. Taking it from his pocket he actually smiled a bit when he saw it was Bella.
Answering the phone he sounded tired and said, "Hey, darling."
Her voice was soft as she replied, "Hi, Edward. Am…am I calling at a bad time? I didn't call earlier because I didn't want to disturb you. I figured you were busy."
"No, it's fine. Just got home from the office actually," he said as he held the phone to his ear using his shoulder and continued to mix his drink.
"Long day, huh?" she replied, a bit of sadness in her voice.
"Yeah, you could say that," he said with a sigh.
She was quiet a moment, "Listen, Edward, I'm sorry that…"
"Hey, none of that," he replied, "None of this is your fault, or even my fault really, well, maybe a bit my fault."
"What do you mean?" there was a frown in her voice as she spoke, "How is any of this your fault?"
"I just…when I decided…," he laughed tiredly, "I don't even know how to explain this. It's a long story."
"Are we okay?" she asked timidly.
He smiled a bit to himself. "Yeah. You and I are great, dearest."
"Good," she said quietly. "Have you eaten?"
Edward laughed a bit. "No, food wasn't really a priority today."
"Can I bring something by for you?"
"You don't have to do that," he said.
There was a smile as she said, "I know I don't have to, I want to."
"That would be great," he replied, feeling better than he had all day.